


Doctor for the Day

by Azrakatz



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Fluffy Palletshipping, Gary takes care of Ash, M/M, Sick Ash, XYZ episode 22 rewrite, poor baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-25 03:01:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17716766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azrakatz/pseuds/Azrakatz
Summary: Gary goes to visit Ash and Co. in Kalos, only to find the usually cheerful and hyped up trainer feverish and in pain. And like any normal person, he decides to take care of his ex-rival for the day.My fluffy gay take on Pokemon XYZ episode 22. Palletshipping.





	Doctor for the Day

**Author's Note:**

> Right. So. Um.  
> I don't know where this came from.  
> I was rewatching XYZ episode 22 and then almost immediately after read Estelle4Ever's Operation Cupid (great series by the way) and this just popped into my head. I just had to make it Palletshipping. I just had to. I usually don't write romantic fluff, so sorry if it shows, and I used this kind of as a practice exercise. Anyway, enjoy!  
> Edit (2/16/19)- apparently Ao3 decided to randomly delete an entire paragraph. It's up now.

The gravel crunched under Gary’s feet as he made his way up the rocky mountain road. It was a beautiful summer morning, the sunlight pouring down through the foliage above. A cool breeze rippled through the tree trunks and rustled the leaves.  
The auburn haired researcher huffed exasperatedly. "Typical Ash", he muttered. "Setting up camp on the top of a fucking mountain." Despite these harsh words, Gary felt excitement start to gather in his chest. He hadn't seen the raven haired trainer in a good while, and word on the street was that he'd matured into a formidable opponent. This was a far cry from when Gary had been “rivals” with him. Years later he would still protest that “it’s not a rivalry if one of us always wins”. Every time he saw Ash he made a point of smugly pointing that fact out, but the way things stood now, Ash could probably cream him without batting an eyelash.  
Gary reached the top of the trail and mopped the sweat from his face. These Kalos summers had a reputation for being brutally hot, unlike Kanto which seemed to be chilly year round. What most people forgot was how deceptive the Kalos climate could be: scorching hot by day and freezing cold by night.  
A large, grassy clearing stretched out in front of him, surrounded by a lush forest which seemed to sprawl out endlessly in each direction. A stream gurgled through the center of the clearing before disappearing into the foliage on either side. Set up in the center of this clearing were two tents, one silver and blue, the other pink. A small cooking station and folding table complete with chairs stood nearby.  
A blond boy with large glasses was leaning over the makeshift stove, stirring something in a pan. The smell of scrambled eggs and bacon wafted over to Gary, and the auburn haired researcher felt his mouth water at the scent. In his haste to meet up with his childhood rival, he had forgotten to eat before leaving his hotel.  
Well, waiting around wouldn’t do him any good, Gary decided. He hoisted his pack up on his shoulders and made his way over to the boy. Said boy didn’t notice him until Gary was practically next to him. When he did become aware of the researcher’s presence, he shrieked in surprise, almost knocking the steaming pan off the stove.  
Gary’s hands shot forward to steady the wobbling piece of kitchenware, and regretted it seconds later. His palms came away reddened and throbbing from the heat. The blond boy’s glasses had been knocked askew, which he nervously righted as he stammered apologies.  
Gary waved his apologies off.  
“No worries”, he said, dipping his abused hands into the nearby stream. “I’m fine.” The blond boy bowed nervously, pushing up his glasses. “I really am sorry”, he said. “Here, let me get you some ice. I’m Clemont by the way. Who are you?” Gary gratefully accepted the ice, running it back and forth over the reddened skin. “I’m Gary Oak, a Pokemon researcher from Pallet Town. I’m looking for Ash, he told me he’d be here.”  
Clemont smiled. “Yes, Ash is in that tent over there.” He gestured to the blue and silver tent. “He stayed up late training last night, so he might not be out for a while. Are you alright with waiting a bit?”  
Gary cracked a grin. “That’s Ashy-boy alright. Working himself to the bone for his dream.” Clemont stood over by the stove, depositing heaping spoonfuls of food onto a plate. “You sound like you know him pretty well”, he remarked, pouring a glass of orange juice.  
Gary shrugged nonchalantly. “We go way back. I met him when I was three.” He conveniently left out the part of the story where they had gone from friends to bitter enemies, but that’s why he was here, wasn’t he? To repair his fractured relationship with Ash. Clemont finished preparing the plate and turned to him. “Can I offer you some breakfast?”, he asked. “Consider it my way of saying sorry for earlier.” He accepted the plate gratefully, his stomach growling demandingly. The food was amazing. Creamy scrambled eggs and salty, crispy bacon. Crunchy toast with jam and tangy orange juice. The researcher gulped down the last of the juice and complemented Clemont, who preened pridefully.  
In that moment, the others started to come out of their tents. Introductions were made, and Gary became familiar with Bonnie, a small, hyperactive blond who was Clemont’s little sister, and Serena, who was a shy and sweet auburn haired beauty. He would have gladly appreciated Serena’s rather attractive figure had he not been there for another purpose. Ash.  
Said raven haired trainer was nowhere to be found. After thirty or so minutes, even Ash’s traveling companions began to get concerned. Serena shuffled shyly in her seat. “He usually doesn’t take this long, even if he’s been up late”, she said quietly. “Something must be wrong.”  
Gary rose from his seat. He had finished his breakfast some while ago, and didn’t want to disturb the others who were still busy eating. “I’ll go check on him”, he offered. Clemont nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Gary”, he said. “H-hopefully nothing has happened to him”, Serena stammered, a blush starting to spread over her face. Gary felt a bit of disappointment, but it faded quickly. So she likes Ashy. Well, can’t win ‘em all.  
Running a hand through his spiky hair, the researcher made his way to the blue and silver tent. He was about to rap on its outside when the tent opened on its own. Out of it came Ash. Gary opened his mouth, a teasing remark on the very tip of his tongue when Ash stumbled, his knees buckling like those of a newborn deer. The raven haired trainer collapsed, his arms wrapping around Gary’s torso, sliding down the researcher’s chest until his face came to rest directly over Gary’s crotch.  
Gary reddened. He would have been lying had be said he hadn’t felt the beginnings of arousal making themselves known. He willed himself not to make his arousal obvious, because how embarrassing would that be, his rival/friend learning the truth in the most awkward way possible?  
Gritting his teeth, Gary looked down, and horrified shock washed over him. Ash’s face was flushed, his eyes glazed over with fever. Beads of sweat rolled down his unnaturally red cheeks. Concerned, Gary pushed the sweaty raven bangs out of the way, letting his hand rest on the tan forehead. The heat radiating off his rival was almost unbearable.  
By now, Ash’s traveling companions had abandoned their breakfasts to check on their friend. Serena let the back of her hand rest on his face, then withdrew it. “Ash has a fever!”, she cried to Clemont. “He’s burning up!” Gary rushed to support the shaky trainer, Clemont taking his other arm.  
“N-no….”, Ash mumbled. “I..I need to...t-train…”  
Gary gave the younger boy a stern look. “No, what you need to do is go back to bed”, he said firmly. Serena flipped open her PokeDex and started browsing through a map of the surrounding area. “There’s a pharmacy in the next town!”, she exclaimed. “I bet they’ll have something to help Ash.”  
“Well then hurry up guys!”, Bonnie cried, bouncing around her brother. “Ash is feeling bad so we have to be back as soon as possible!” Serena looked torn. “Someone needs to stay here and watch Ash, but I’m the only one who knows how to use this PokeDex…” Gary jumped in before she could finish. “Don’t worry, Serena. I’ll stay here to take care of Ashy-boy. You go and get the medicine.” Serena nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Gary. We’ll be back as soon as possible. Take….take good care of Ash, okay?”  
Gary nodded firmly, and the sapphire eyed beauty looked reassured. With that, Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena were on their way and soon out of sight. 

…

Gary smoothed back the dark hair and carefully set a cool compress on Ash’s forehead. The trainer moaned miserably, turning restlessly in his sleeping bag. His mouth was open, breath coming in shallow pants. His cheeks burned, sweat dripping down into the neck of his sleeveless shirt. His dark hair was splayed out around his head, sticky with sweat.  
He patted his rival gently, trying to wake him up. “Ash”, he said, his voice low. “I need you to wake up for a moment, okay?” Hazy sienna eyes opened, their gaze distant and unfocused. “Gary..?”, the trainer slurred. “Wha..what are y-you doing here…” The brunette felt a pang go through him, mingling with the pity already present. “You invited me, remember Ashy-boy?” The trainer’s eyelids drooped, his head starting to drop back to the pillows. “N-no...dn’t rem’mber…”, he murmured. “But..’m glad you’re here…”  
Before he could nod off completely, Gary took hold of his shoulders and gave him a light shake. Ash grumbled his displeasure. “Wha…? Stop..that. H-head...hurts..”  
“Shhhh”, Gary responded. “I know, I know.” He picked up a glass of cool water that had been sitting by his rival’s bedside. “I need you to drink this, okay? You’re sweating so much, you need to stay hydrated.” Ash mumbled unintelligibly, and Gary placed a hand at his back, easing him into a sitting position. His tank top, Gary noted, had been drenched with sweat.  
He pressed the cold glassware into Ash’s hand, but found that rather quickly to be a mistake. The glass slipped right through the disoriented trainer’s fingers, spilling cold water all over the place. The glass, thankfully, landed in a pile of dirty clothes and didn’t break. Gary swore under his breath, and picked the glass out of the dirty clothes. “I’ll be right back, alright Ash?”, he asked. “I’ll go find you a change of clothes. Don’t fall back asleep on me.”  
He pushed his way out of the dim tent, and blinked at the bright sunlight outside.The clearing was teeming with life now, with Ash’s Pokemon energetically playing in the grass and nearby forest. Gary cast a watchful eye over them to make sure no one was doing anything dangerous, and grabbed his bag. He rifled through his belongs for a few seconds, then found what he was looking for. A well worn shirt of his that he had always been rather fond of. It was the only spare he had, and he was willing to lend it to his rival for the day.  
Heading back into the tent, he found that Ash had propped himself up on his backpack. Surprisingly, he had actually made an effort not to fall asleep. Gary crouched next to him, shirt in hand, and took ahold of the edge of Ash’s shirt.  
“Let’s get this off you, alright? It’s fucking soaked.” Gary carefully started peeling the shirt upwards on a more or less unresponsive Ash. His finger brushed against firm muscle and smooth skin, occasionally running over a jagged scar here or there. In a way, Gary was envious of the trainer.  
Ash had a goddamn beautiful body. Lithe and graceful, but muscular all the same, a direct result of the strenuous activity that trainers had to endure when working with their Pokemon. Gary had possessed a figure similar to this once, back when he had been a trainer. Those days were long gone, and months of doing nothing but sitting in his office took its toll.  
The brunette began rolling the wet fabric over one tan shoulder, appreciatively eying the trainers defined collarbone and washboard abs, not that he’d ever admit it. When he’d finally managed to remove the soaked tank top, he tossed it off to the side, and tugged his own shirt over Ash’s head.  
“Mmmmmmmmm”, came the sleepy mumble. “‘S nice…” Gary reached for the water bottle sitting by the pile of clothes and refilled the glass. “Don’t fall asleep just yet”, he said. Ash just mumbled something incoherent as a response, and reached for the glass. This time, Gary knew better. He guided the glass to the trainer’s mouth, and let him drink his fill before the dark haired boy fell asleep.  
Gary spent the next twenty minutes or so by his rival’s bedside, changing out the cool compresses every time Ash’s fever wracked body heated the cloth.  
“Gary, we’re back!”, came the call from outside. Gary stuck his head out of the tent flaps to see Serena, Bonnie and Clemont emerging from the trees. In his hands, Clemont carried a clear pouch marked with the pharmacy’s insignia. Serena approached Gary, making sure to lower her voice once she got in Ash’s immediate vicinity. “How is he?”, she asked.  
“A little better”, Gary responded. “His fever went down a little bit, but that medicine would be great right about now.” 

…

With a low groan, Ash sat up in his sleeping bag, running his hand through his damp hair. “Wow…”, he muttered. “I feel like shit.”  
“You look like it, too”, came Gary’s snarky reply. “Welcome back to the waking world, sleeping beauty.” Ash didn’t even bother to reply, instead opting to look around. “What even happened?”, he asked groggily. Gary’s voice softened slightly as he replied. “From what I understand, you got soaked doing your water training yesterday. Guess your body didn’t really agree with that. You’ve been feverish all morning.”  
Ash’s brow furrowed, his nose wrinkling a bit as he thought. Gary had to be honest with himself, it looked pretty adorable. “I think..I remember a little bit. You were there, I’m pretty sure.” Gary nodded affirmation. “Your friends went to go buy medicine at a nearby pharmacy. I stayed here to take care of your sorry ass.”  
Ash’s face started steadily turning pink. “The two of us?”  
Gary nodded. “Uh-huh.”  
“Alone?”  
“Yep.”  
“No one else around?”  
“Pretty much.”  
“Gary…”  
“Yeah?”  
“Why am I wearing your shirt?”  



End file.
